Whilest Harold desirous to reteine, and verie loth to let go his
vsurped roialtie, had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie,
and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with
solemne othes, had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against
him; it came to passe, that the proud and presumptuous man was (to
[Sidenote: Tostie séekes to disquiets his brother.]
begin withall) vexed in his owne flesh, I meane his owne kinred. For
Tostie the brother of king Harold (who in the daies of king Edward for
his crueltie had béene chased out of the realme by the Northumbers)
returning out of Flanders, assembled a nauie of ships from diuers
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ saith but 40.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Ran Higd._]
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._]
parts to the number of 60, with the which he arriued in the Ile of
Wight, & there spoiled the countrie, and afterward sailing about by
the coasts of Kent, he tooke sundrie preies their also, and came at
the last to Sandwich: so that Harold was now constreined to appoint
the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans, to go against his
brother earle Tostie. Whereof the said Tostie being aduertised, drew
towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire, and there taking land did much hurt
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: Tosties repelled.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
in the countrie, both with sword and fire, till at length Edwine earle
of Mercia, and Marchar earle of Northumberland, aided with the kings
nauie, chased him from thence, and caused him to flie into Scotland,
not without some losse both of his men and ships.
This trouble was scarse quieted, but streightwaies another came in the
necke thereof, farre more dangerous than the first. For Tostie,
perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie account
[Sidenote: Harold Harfager king of Norweie.]
of, sailed forth into Norweie, and there persuaded Harold Harfager
king of that realme, to saile with an armie into England, persuading
him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled betwixt the
king and his lords (which was not so) it should be an easie matter for
him to make a conquest of the whole realme, and reigne ouer them as
his predecessors had done before. Some authors affirme, that Harold
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand of his owne mind, and not
by procurement of Tostie, saieng, that Tostie méeting with him in
Scotland, did persuade him to go forward in his purposed busines, and
that the said Harold Harfager with all conuenient spéed passed foorth,
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ saith 500.]
& with a nauie of 300 saile entered into the riuer of Tine, where
after he had rested a few daies to refresh his people, earle Tostie
came also with his power (according to an appointment which should be
made betweene them.) They ad furthermore, that they sailed forth
[Sidenote: The Norwegians arriue in Humber.]
[Sidenote: Richall.]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
alongst the coast, till they arriued in the mouth of Humber, & then
drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse, they landed at
length at a place called Richhall, from whence they set forward to
inuade the countrie, & néere vnto Yorke on the northside of the citie,
they fought with the power of the Northumbers, which was led by the
[Sidenote: The English men discomfited.]
earls Edwine and Marchar (two brethren) and there discomfited and
chased them into the citie, with great slaughter and bloudshed.
[Sidenote: This battell was fought on the even of S. Mattew the
apostle, as saith _Si. Dun._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance, made the more
hast forward (for he was alreadie in the field with his armie,
intending also to come towards his enimies) so that vpon the fift day
after he came to Stamford bridge, finding there the said king Harfager
and Tostie readie imbattelled, he first assailed those that kept the
bridge, where (as some writers affirme) a Norwegian souldier with his
axe defended the passage, mauger the whole host of the Englishmen, and
slue fortie of them or more with his axe, & might not be ouercome,
till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge, and through
an hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare: yet
Matt. West, saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king
Harold his seruants threw at him, & so ended his life. Which bridge
[Sidenote: The Norwegians discomfited.]
being woone, the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer, and ioined
with their enimies, and after a verie great and sore battell put them
all to flight.
[Sidenote: The king of Norwaie and Tostie slaine.]
In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was slaine, &
so was Tostie the king of England his brother, besides a great number
of other, as well in the battell as in the chase: neither did the
Englishmen escape all frée, for the Norwegians fought it out a long
[Sidenote: This battell was fought on the 25 of September as saith
_Si. Dun._]
time verie stoutlie, beating downe and killing great numbers of such
as assailed them with great courage and assurance. The residue of the
Norwegians that were left to kéepe their ships vnder the guiding of
Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie, and Paule earle of Orkneie, after
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
they vnderstood by their fellowes that escaped from the field, how the
mater went with Harfager and Tostie, they hoised vp their sailes and
directed their course homewards, bearing sorowfull newes with them
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
into their countrie, of the losse of their king and ouerthrow of all
his people. Some write, that the king of England permitted them
franklie to depart with 20 ships, hauing first caused them to deliuer
such hostages as they had receiued of the citizens of Yorke. Harold
reioising in that he had atteined so glorious a victorie, and being
now surprised with pride and couetousnesse togither, he diuided the
[Sidenote: _M. West._]
[Sidenote: Vnequall diuiding of the spoile.]
spoile of the field nothing equallie, but to such as he fauored he
distributed liberallie, and to other (though they had much better
deserued) he gaue nothing at all, reteining still the best part of all
to himselfe, by reason whereof he lost the fauor of manie of his men,
who for this his discourtesie, did not a little alienate their good
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
willes from him. This doone, he repaired to Yorke, and there staied
for a time to reforme the disordered state of the countrie, which by
reason of these warres was greatlie out of frame.
¶ But Harold being more presumptuous and foole-hardie, than prouident
and wise in his enterprise; bending all his force to redresse
enormities in those quarters of Yorkeshire (much like vnto him, whom
the Comediographer marketh for a foole, "Ea tantùm quæ ad pedes iacent
contemplans, non autem ventura præuidens") neglected the kinglie care
which he should haue had of other parts of his realme, from the which
he had withdrawen himselfe, and (as it is likelie) had not left
sufficientlie prouided of a conuenient vicegerent to gouerne the same
by his warranted authoritie, and such fortifications as might expell
and withstand the enimie. Which want of foresight gaue occasion to the
enimie to attempt an inuasion of the English coasts, as in the next
chapt. shall be shewed.
* * * * *
_William duke of Normandie prepareth to inuade England and to conquere
it, the earle of Flanders and the French king assist him, the number
of his ships, hir arriuall at Peuensey in Sussex, vpon what occasions
he entred this realme; the pope liked well duke Williams attempt, why
king Harold was hated of the whole court of Rome; why duke William
would not suffer his souldiers to wast the countries where they came;
Harold goeth towards his enimies, why his vnskilfull espials tooke the
Normans (being old beaten souldiers) for priests; Girth dissuadeth his
brother Harold from present incountering with the duke; where note the
conscience that is to be had of an oth, and that periurie can not
scape vnpunished._